Corners for jewelry display

ABSTRACT

A triangular corner adapted to fit on a jewelry tray, the corner comprising a rigid material, a first and second side surfaces and a top surface. The top surface has a nonlinear edge and no bottom surface.

FIELD

The field of the invention relates to a jewelry tray and more specifically to corners adapted to fit on the jewelry tray.

BACKGROUND

Jewelry articles are routinely displayed in an assortment, by merchants, with the expectation that one or more displayed items will attract a customer who will then make a purchase. The assortment of jewelry articles are displayed on trays because the surface area of the trays allows for an orderly display of a large number of jewelry articles in a relatively small space. The trays have corners which are subject to significant wear and tear, and can become prematurely damaged without the appropriate protection.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,085,460 to Williams discloses a tray for displaying jewelry. The tray consists of cardboard folded to form a box. The patent discloses corner stays which are cemented to the box for holding the box together. The problem with Williams is that if a stay falls off, the box becomes unraveled, ruining the display. Also, the paper stays are ineffective in protecting the corners of the tray as they are no more rigid than the tray.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,464 to Brennan and U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,196 to Ford each disclose a box having corner clamps. Each box has a defined shape with a measurable depth, and the corner clamps cause the box to maintain the defined shape. The problem defined shape with a measurable depth, and the corner clamps cause the box to maintain the defined shape. The problem with Brennan and Ford is that the boxes both fall apart if either loses a corner clamp.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,153 to Braun discloses a display tray. The tray has an edge that surrounds the entire tray. The edge of the tray is stepped above the tray for purposes of stacking a series of trays. The entire top of the tray, including the edge, is coated in a protective plastic. The entire bottom of the tray is similarly coated in a protective plastic. The patent discloses the placement of an array of cushions on the tray for holding jewelry.

One problem with Braun is that the process of manufacturing the tray and edges, and applying the coats of plastic, is highly complex. Another problem with Braun is that the because the edges of the tray are placed above the bottom of the tray, the tray can flip if pressure is placed on the edge.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,724 to Cumberland discloses a photo album having a series of mounting assemblies. Each assembly has four retaining pockets, where each retaining pocket is located on a respective corner and is capable of receiving a respective corner of a picture.

Although suitable for being placed on a photo album, the corners on each assembly of Cumberland would be unsuitable for a jewelry tray. Specifically, the soft corners of Cumberland would fail to protect the jewelry tray from damage resulting from normal use.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,637 to Gratz discloses a device for protecting corners of an object, such a window in shipment. The protectors are made of a pulp material and the protectors have segment that engage the front and rear of an object for protecting the object while in shipment. The problem with Gratz, as applied to a jewelry tray, is that extending the protective corners about the rear of the object, such as a tray, prevents the tray from laying flush on a table. Accordingly, the corner protectors of Gratz would destabilize a jewelry tray.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,370,805 to Thompson discloses decorative tray corners. The corners are fabricated from soft material, where the material of each corner forms a pocket for inserting memorabilia. The problem with Thompson is that the soft edges would fail to protect the corner edges of a rigid jewelry tray from typical wear and tear.

SUMMARY

A triangular corner adapted to fit on a jewelry tray, the corner comprising a rigid material, a first and second side surfaces and a top surface. The top surface has a nonlinear edge and no bottom surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a top view of protective corners on a jewelry tray;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the protective corners on the jewelry tray; and

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the protective corners on the jewelry tray.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

A plurality of triangular corners are disclosed that are capable of being placed on a jewelry tray. Each triangular corner is more durable than the tray so that each triangular corner protects the corners of the tray from wear. Each triangular corner does not extend over the bottom of the tray to prevent the accidental tugging of each triangular corner when moving the tray on a surface. The top surface of each triangular corner has an increased line of contact with the tray, which decreases the possibility that the triangular corner will damage the top of the tray.

Turning to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a jewelry tray 1 having a base 2 having two distal corners 3 and 4, and two proximal corners 5 and 6. Two triangular corners are disclosed that are capable of being mounted to the distal corners of the tray 7 and 8, and two triangular corners are disclosed that are capable of being mounted to the proximal corners of the tray 9 and 10. The distal triangular corners 7 and 8 protect the distal edges of the tray 3 and 4, and the proximal triangular corners 9 and 10 protect the proximal corners of the tray 5 and 6.

Turning now to FIG. 1, the base has first and second parallel sides 15 and 16. Each side extends distally on the tray 1 from edges 5 and 6 to edges 3 and 4, respectively. The sides 15 and 16 have the same length and are long enough to allow a cluster of jewelry articles to be placed on the tray 1. For example, the length of sides 15 and 16 is three and quarter inches. Alternatively, the length of sides 15 and 16 is five inches, six inches, seven and a half inches, or any length that is reasonable for displaying jewelry.

The base has a proximal side 17 and a distal side 18. The proximal side 17 extends between proximal corners 5 and 6 and the distal side 18 extends between distal corners 3 and 4. The proximal side 17 is parallel to the distal side 18. Each of the proximal side and distal side 17 and 18 are the same length and each are perpendicular to the first and second sides 15 and 16.

The proximal and distal sides 17 and 18 are longer than the first and second sides 15 and 16. For example, where the first and second sides 15 and 16 have a length of three and a quarter inches, the proximal and distal sides 17 and 18 both have a length of seven and a quarter inches long. Alternatively, where the first and second sides 15 and 16 have a length of five, six, or seven and a half inches, the proximal and distal sides 17 and 18 both have a length of seven and a half, eleven and a quarter, or fourteen inches, respectively.

The relative lengths disclosed are illustrative only. Any length is appropriate that allows easy manipulation of the tray 1 on a platform, such as a tabletop. Although a rectangular shape is not required, it is preferred because the shape allows the tray 1 to be easily carried or toted in a narrow bag.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the base 2 is fabricated from foam board. The foam board typically contains a semi-rigid bottom surface 11 and a foam core 12. The board is rigid enough to maintain a rectangular shape with requiring the addition of the corner triangles or any other implement. The thickness of the foam board is enough to withstand bending or tearing during normal use. For example, the thickness of the foam board is approximately one quarter of an inch.

Referring to the Figures, each triangular corner 6, 7, 8 and 9 has a first side 19. Each first side 19 extends parallel to the short edge of the tray 15 and 16. Accordingly, the side 19 on triangular corners 7 and 8 extends toward the proximal edge 17 of the tray. On the other hand, the side 19 on triangular corners 9 and 10 extends toward the distal edge 18 of the tray.

The thickness of the first side 19 prevents the side from deforming during use. For example, if the triangular corner is fabricated from metal, the thickness of the first side 19 is one-thirty-second of an inch.

The first side 19 has a top and bottom edge 20 and 21. The edges are parallel and have the same length. The length of the edges 20 and 21 is enough to protect the tray on edges 15 and 16, near corners 3, 4, 5 and 6. This protection prevents the edges 15 and 16 from premature wear and tear. For example, where the edges 15 and 16 are three and a half inches long, edges 20 and 21 are half of an inch long. Alternatively, where edges 15 and 16 are seven inches long, edges 20 and 21 are each one inch long. Yet alternatively, other lengths can be used for edges 20 and 21 so long as the sum of the lengths of edges 20 and 21 does not exceed the length of edges 15 or 16.

The first side 19 has an outer and corner edge 22 and 23. The edges 22 and 23 are the same length, are parallel to each other, and are perpendicular to edges 20 and 21. The length of edges 22 and 23 separates edges 20 and 21 beyond the thickness of the base 2. For example, where the thickness of the base 2 is approximately one quarter of an inch, the length of edges 22 and 23 is substantially five eighths of an inch.

In use, when each triangular corner are mounted on each corner, the bottom edge 21 of each triangular corner extends towards the bottom face of the bottom layer 11. On the other hand, the top edge 20 of each triangular corner is raised above the top of the base 2 by approximately an eighth of an inch. The height above the base allows material from the triangular corner to cover the top corner of the top layer 13, protecting the top layer 13 from premature wear and tear.

Referring again the FIGS. 1 and 3, each triangular corner 6, 7, 8 and 9 has a second side 24. Each second side 24 extends parallel to the long edge of the tray 17 and 18. The side 24 on triangular corners 8 and 10 extends toward the second edge 16 of the tray. On the other hand, the side 24 on triangular corners 7 and 9 extends toward the first edge 15 of the tray.

The thickness of the second side 24 prevents the side from deforming during use and is preferably the same as the thickness of the first side 19.

The second side 24 has a top and bottom edge 25 and 26. The edges are parallel and have the same length. The edges 25 and 26 are long enough to protect the tray on edges 17 and 18, near corners 3, 4, 5 and 6. This protection prevents the edges 17 and 18 from premature wear and tear. The length of edges 25 and 26 is the same as edges 20 and 21 respectively. Alternatively, the length of edges 25 and 26 is longer than the length of edges 20 and 21, but shorter than the length of sides 17 or 18. Yet alternatively, the length of edges 25 and 26 is shorter than the length of edges 20 and 21.

The second side 24 has an inside edge 27 and shares the corner edge 23 with the first side 19. The inside edge 27 is parallel to and the same length as edge 23. The length of edges 23 and 27 separates the edges 25 and 26 to the same distance that edges 23 and 22 separates edges 20 and 21.

In use, the triangular corner is mounted to the tray so that edge 26 is adjacent to with the bottom of the base 2. This setting extends the edge 25 over the top of the base 2 by the same distance as edge 22. As a result, when each triangular corner are mounted on each corner, both bottom edges 21 and 22 are adjacent to the bottom of the base 2.

Since the triangular corners are manufactured without a bottom face, the disclosed configuration prevents each triangular corner from being tugged off of the base 2 when the tray 1 is moved on a surface. Further, both top edges 20 and 25 are one eighth of an inch above the top of the base 13. This allows material from the triangular corner to cover the top corner of the top layer 13 to protect the top layer 14 from premature wear and tear.

Referring to FIG. 1, each triangular corner has a top surface 28. The top surface of each triangular corner 28 has a first edge that is the top edge 25 of the second surface 24 of the triangular corner. The top surface 28 has a second edge that is the top edge 20 of the first surface 19 of the triangular corner. Connecting the first and second edges of the top surface 25 and 20 is a third edge 29 of the top surface 28.

The third edge 29 of the top surface 28 has a non-linear shape. For example, the edge 29 is symmetrical and has a first curve 30. The first curve 30 extends approximately thirty percent along the edge 29, inwardly from the intersection of edge 29 and both of edges 20 and 25. The path of curve 30 is parabolic, covering more of a distance than a linear edge.

At the point where curve 30 terminates, a second curve 31 begins. The second curve 31 is also symmetrically positioned on edge 29 and has an inflection of almost ninety degrees from the first curve 30. The second curve 31 extends towards the center of the base 2 to where the curve 31 apparently intersects a line that joins edge 27 to edge 22. At the apparent intersection, the second curve turns back towards the edge 23 of the triangular corner. The path of curve 31 covers a significantly greater distance on edge 29 than a linear edge.

A the point of termination of curve 31, from both sides of edge 29, is a substantially radial curve 32 that extends towards and terminates at the center of the distance between edge 22 and edge 27. Here too, the distance of curve 32 is greater than the a linear edge that would otherwise extend between edges 22 and 27.

The edge 29 has the cumulative length of five curves, being twice the symmetrical curves 30 and 31, as well as curve 32. A significantly greater distance is covered by edge 29 than a linear curve would cover between edge 22 and 27. The greater distance provides a greater contact between each triangular corner and the top of the base 2.

In use, there are several occasions in which bending forced are created on the display, at the location where the top edge of the corners meets the display. Once such occasion is when a triangular corner becomes snagged in transport or on display. Another such occasion is when the corners are pressed onto the display during an instillation process. During these occasions, the greater contact distance between the corners and the display significantly decreases the bending and tearing forces on the display at any point. The configuration of the top edge of the corners practically eliminates the possibility that a display edge will bend or tear in the area of the corners.

It should be noted that the curves that comprise edge 29 are for illustration only. Any series of curves, both symmetric and asymmetric could be used that encompasses a greater length then a line between edges 22 and 27.

The triangular corners are manufactured from a more rigid material than the base 11. The more rigid material assures that the edge of the tray 3, 4, 5 and 6 will be unaffected when the corners of the tray are accidentally treated with a blunt force due to impact with other trays or other articles. Each triangular corner is permanently connected to the base. For example, glue connected each triangular corner to the base.

The triangular corners have a series of openings 33. The openings are symmetrically located on each triangular corner. In use, the openings allow the insertion of a pin or an earring post when handling jewelry.

In use, the tray is placed with the bottom of the base 2 against a table or other station. Jewelry articles are placed on the top of the base 2. The triangular corners 7, 8, 9 and 10 protect the corners 3, 4, 5 and 6 from premature wear and tear due to normal use.

A set of triangular corners has been disclosed to protect the edges of a jewelry tray. The triangular corners are more durable than the base so that each triangular corner protect the corners of the tray from wear. The triangular corners do not extend over the bottom of the tray to prevent the accidental tugging of each triangular corner when moving the tray on a surface. The top surface of each triangular corner has an increased line of contact with the tray, which decreases the possibility that the triangular corner will damage the top of the tray.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not as restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims and their combination in whole or in part rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. 

1) A triangular corner adapted to fit on a jewelry tray, the corner comprising: a. a rigid material; b. a first and second side surfaces and a top surface, wherein the top surface having a nonlinear edge; c. no bottom surface. 2) The corners of claim 1, where the top of the triangular corner comprises a series of curves symmetrically disposed. 3) The corners of claim 1, where the top of the triangular corner comprises a series of curves asymmetrically disposed. 4) The corners of claim 2, where the top of the triangular corner comprises a plurality of symmetrically disposed holes. 5) The corners of claim 2, where the top of the triangular corner comprise a plurality of asymmetrically disposed holes. 6) The corners of claim 4, where the first side and second side are the same length. 7) The corners of claim 6, where the first and second sides have a height that is greater than the tray. 8) The corners of claim 7, where the corers being more rigid than the tray. 9) The corners of claim 8, where each triangular corner being fabricated from metal. 10) A display tray comprising: a. a base, the base having a preformed shape having a plurality of corners; b. a plurality of triangular corners, each triangular corner being connected to a respective corner of said tray, each triangular corner being more rigid than the base; wherein i. each triangular corner contains a first and second side surfaces, a top surface and no bottom surface; ii. each triangular corner containing at least one hole; iii. and the top surface of each triangular corner containing a non-linear edge. 11) The tray of claim 10, where each triangular corner being attached to the tray with glue. 12) The tray of claim 11, wherein a bottom layer of the tray being fabricated foam bard. 13) The tray of claim 12, where the top of the triangular corner comprises a series of curves symmetrically disposed. 14) The tray of claim 13, where the top of the triangular corner comprises a series of curves asymmetrically disposed. 15) The tray of claim 14, wherein each triangular corner being fabricated from metal. 16) The tray of claim 15 where the tray is rectangular. 